Overview
- San Francisco used the fourth overall pick to take UCSB right-hander Jackson Flora, making him the first pitcher chosen in the draft.
- Flora dominated college hitters this season, posting a 12–0 record, a 1.06 ERA, a .85 WHIP and 133 strikeouts in 102 innings, and he was named the 2026 Big West Pitcher of the Year.
- Scouts and his coach describe a four-pitch arsenal — a four-seam fastball that can sit in the mid-90s and touch 100+, a changeup in the low‑80s, a power slider and a sweeper — with the slider noted for heavy, near-screwball movement.
- Evaluators call Flora a polished, high-floor prospect because of his size, clean mechanics and command, while noting teams will still validate his medical profile and how his stuff plays against pro hitters at workouts.
- As a Bay Area native joining the Giants, Flora will enter the club’s development program where his workload, pro testing and early minor-league starts will determine whether he develops into a front‑end starter.